One of Giggle's first lessons to him were meant to break the vice that plagued the Vitas for ages - the persistent lack of a support system to validate their efforts at being good and true to themselves. He was hardly the first she'd taught that, too; Eythan needed to have it beat into him, but at least he had the confidence in it to drill it through Aure's worried conscience.

There were many who loved him just as much as he loved them. They'd give as much as he took, and he gave as much as they took. Aure inhaled shakily, and nodded.

Then, his thoughts halted again - make someone. Father. The three sounds crashed against one another, a sense of being totally unprepared for any of that rising quickly like bile. Aure swallowed, shuffled his talons nervously, making them yet duller with another bout of pacing. Quills rattled against one another as he adjusted his wings, flicked his tail. I'm not ready for that, his headspace called, and he echoed, "I'm not ready - for that."

What if he - "what if something happens to me and - and they don't have me? Or something happens to them and I have to live with it? How do you - just..."

"Is anyone ever really ready for fatherhood, Aure?" the gryphon cut in, purposefully putting a halt to Aure's musings before they ran off the page and into the horizon. His tactic seemed to work, as the wyvern stopped mid-pace and turned towards him. "I mean - with Elyon and Eli, I found out that I'm just not cut out to be that kinda guy, but I love those kids and hope they're doing good with all my heart," Eythan admitted, "I taught 'em what they needed to know and shoved them into the world with nothin' else. Eli stuck around, but I've not a damn clue where the other one is."

Aure's oversized ears flickered forwards, a look of confusion crossing his face - clearly missing the not-at-all clear point being made. A sigh whistled out from Eythan's beak; "that's the kinda father I know you won't be, doin' the bare minimum and treating your own - kid like they're just brothers or friends." His shoulders sagged lightly. "But, I wouldn't have found that out if I hadn't taken the leap, but if I break your legs and go into Hydra in your place," (this was said with a snide grin) "at least I've already got little bits of me runnin' around."

He supposed you couldn't truly be ready for anything. Life was one leap of faith after another.

But, that didn't mean you couldn't take it easy, lie down in the grass, and think about that leap and just what might be on the other side. Sometimes, there was just nothing behind the door. Other times - there were great things.

Aure's voice took a dry - but amused - edge as he sniped back at his brother, "you aren't going to break my legs first." With that, he trotted forwards and stepped on the gryphon's toes. Revenge.

With all that said and done, the young King set his mind back on course. His instinct was to keep worrying and looking for answers, but he corrected with a steadying breath. "We'll be okay - I think," Aure murmured, for himself to hear out loud and wrap his head around and grow confident in, "but it doesn't hurt to... think about it, does it? I'll - get back to you on it."

Eythan clicked his beak, snapping his teeth once in a mock-growl and taking that chance to stand like he was going to leave the young King to his own devices. Bright eyes searched that blank face of consideration, and he knew that Aure'd be alright. Even with dark tracks down his cheeks, the kid looked and seemed like himself again.

Catharsis was something else, wasn't it?

The gryphon nodded, wings preemptively spreading out, and parroted, "we'll be okay, even when we aren't." His tail swayed once, and he sidestepped away from Vinnie's cairn. "I'll give you some space, a'ight?" Eythan offered gently, though he continued to face his brother - keeping the invitation to stay open.

Aure shook his head gently, plodding forward to tap his beak against Eythan's. Drawing back again, he chirped, "oh, oh - you can go. I'm okay. I'll be fine here." His eyes went sidelong onto the feathers and gemstones that marked this grave, and he settled before it. A knot clutched tight at his throat, but he managed to swallow it down and genuinely smile through it.

Just before he heard the scuffling of claws signifying his brother's leaving, Aure twisted back around, peering over his shoulder. His brows dipped slightly, ears moving back as his tail swiped once across the floor (mindful of his circle of bioluminescent mushrooms.) "Eythan?"

The gryphon looked over his own shoulder, talon settling mid-stride.

"Thank you."

Warmth spread across his face, and he rolled a shoulder dismissively, "no problem, bro." Eythan smiled just a little wider, tapping his talons once, twice, "whenever you need me, you know I'm here."

Totally not because he didn't have friends, or anything.

With one last reassuring nod from Aure, the gryphon took off, descending straight down the sheer cliff and winding through the Chambers with practiced ease. He knew his brother would come to some conclusion that made him happy. The kid was wise beyond his years like that, and Eythan was grateful for it - at least some Gembound got to have that for themselves.

;exit eythan (and aure)